Published: Monday, October 20, 2008 at 2:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, October 20, 2008 at 2:32 p.m.

OCALA - Harry T. Mangurian, the former owner of the Boston Celtics and Ocala's Mockingbird Farm, died Sunday in Fort Lauderdale after an eight-month-long battle with leukemia. He was 82.

Mangurian was born in Rochester, N.Y., on Oct. 1, 1926, and took over his family's furniture store in the 1960s, expanding the business to include more than a dozen stores.

In 1970, Mangurian bought Tartan Farm in Ocala, renaming the 310-acre facility Mockingbird Farm. During the next several years, he expanded the farm to more than 1,000 acres, which included several top stallions and 300 broodmares.

Trainer Mark Casse, 47, remembers visiting Mangurian many times as a child with his father when the two men talked business. During the 1990s, Casse became Mockingbird Farm's manager before striking out on his own as a trainer.

“Besides my father, he was the most influential person in my life,” Casse said. “And the older I got, the wiser he became. Many of the things I’ve done in my life are because of the things he’s told me. The world has lost a great man, but I lost a great friend.”

Mangurian’s life was a mix between business, philanthropy and horse racing.

In 1988 and 2000, Mangurian was named Breeder of the Year by the Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’ Association.

Mangurian was a member of The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Club of America Inc., and was a Breeders’ Cup board member.

He was also on the board of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, based in Ocala, and helped found the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.

In 1995, Mangurian was inducted into the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame and in 2002 received the national Eclipse Award of Merit. In 2000, he sold Mockingbird Farm. Much of it is now Winding Oaks Farm.

Casse said Mangurian could have bought a farm in Kentucky instead of Ocala but that he loved Florida.

“And I think he enjoyed giving Kentucky a run for their money,” Casse said.

Mangurian obtained the Boston Celtics when he swapped the Buffalo Braves basketball team for the franchise. He also owned a development and construction company in South Florida, building more than 10,000 residential units.

After the terrorists attack on Sept. 11, 2001, Mangurian and his wife, Dorothy, donated $1 million to the New York Heroes Fund, urging others to also give money.

The couple also established another foundation through which the two donated money to medical, educational and environmental organizations. The donations included a recent $5 million gift to Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.

Longtime friend and business partner, Gordon Latz, said Mangurian was a quiet man that mostly enjoyed life behind the scenes.

“He never wanted credit for anything that he did, and he was a winner in everything that he did,” Latz, 66, of Fort Lauderdale, recalled.

His Ocala farm was a refuge away from the demands of his other businesses, Latz said.

“He talked about the horse industry all the time. He cared so much,” Latz said. “He got more pleasure out of breeding and selling horses and watching other people win with them than racing the horses himself.”

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; daughters, Terry Skuse and Tracy Jenkins; brother, Pierce, and sister, Ann Hanessian; four grandsons and two great-grandchildren.

Fred Hiers can be reached at fred.hiers@starbanner.com and 352-867-4157.

<p>OCALA - Harry T. Mangurian, the former owner of the Boston Celtics and Ocala's Mockingbird Farm, died Sunday in Fort Lauderdale after an eight-month-long battle with leukemia. He was 82.</p><p>Mangurian was born in Rochester, N.Y., on Oct. 1, 1926, and took over his family's furniture store in the 1960s, expanding the business to include more than a dozen stores.</p><p>In 1970, Mangurian bought Tartan Farm in Ocala, renaming the 310-acre facility Mockingbird Farm. During the next several years, he expanded the farm to more than 1,000 acres, which included several top stallions and 300 broodmares.</p><p>Trainer Mark Casse, 47, remembers visiting Mangurian many times as a child with his father when the two men talked business. During the 1990s, Casse became Mockingbird Farm's manager before striking out on his own as a trainer.</p><p>Besides my father, he was the most influential person in my life, Casse said. And the older I got, the wiser he became. Many of the things I’ve done in my life are because of the things he’s told me. The world has lost a great man, but I lost a great friend.</p><p>Mangurian’s life was a mix between business, philanthropy and horse racing.</p><p>Among his many successful race horses, he owned two-time Eclipse Award winner, Desert Vixen. Mangurian also bred 1992 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, Gilded Time.</p><p>In 1988 and 2000, Mangurian was named Breeder of the Year by the Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’ Association.</p><p>Mangurian was a member of The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Club of America Inc., and was a Breeders’ Cup board member.</p><p>He was also on the board of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, based in Ocala, and helped found the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.</p><p>In 1995, Mangurian was inducted into the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame and in 2002 received the national Eclipse Award of Merit. In 2000, he sold Mockingbird Farm. Much of it is now Winding Oaks Farm.</p><p>Casse said Mangurian could have bought a farm in Kentucky instead of Ocala but that he loved Florida.</p><p>And I think he enjoyed giving Kentucky a run for their money, Casse said.</p><p>Mangurian obtained the Boston Celtics when he swapped the Buffalo Braves basketball team for the franchise. He also owned a development and construction company in South Florida, building more than 10,000 residential units.</p><p>After the terrorists attack on Sept. 11, 2001, Mangurian and his wife, Dorothy, donated $1 million to the New York Heroes Fund, urging others to also give money.</p><p>The couple also established another foundation through which the two donated money to medical, educational and environmental organizations. The donations included a recent $5 million gift to Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.</p><p>Longtime friend and business partner, Gordon Latz, said Mangurian was a quiet man that mostly enjoyed life behind the scenes.</p><p>He never wanted credit for anything that he did, and he was a winner in everything that he did, Latz, 66, of Fort Lauderdale, recalled.</p><p>His Ocala farm was a refuge away from the demands of his other businesses, Latz said.</p><p>He talked about the horse industry all the time. He cared so much, Latz said. He got more pleasure out of breeding and selling horses and watching other people win with them than racing the horses himself.</p><p>He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; daughters, Terry Skuse and Tracy Jenkins; brother, Pierce, and sister, Ann Hanessian; four grandsons and two great-grandchildren.</p><p><i>Fred Hiers can be reached at fred.hiers@starbanner.com and 352-867-4157.</i></p>